The founder of the Living Faith church, Pastor David Oyedepo has been barred from entering the United Kingdom, according to unconfirmed reports. Oyedepo’s barring was communicated via an ‘Airline Alert’ on Saturday, 9 August, a source at Murtala Mohammed International Airport indicates the alert stated that any airline that acts against the ban will be fined £2000 (N542,000). According to reports from Daily Mail, an inquiry by the UK Charitable Commission accused the UK branch of Winners Chapel of cynically exploiting supporters.
Daily Mail’s report stated that the church received £16.7 million (N4.5 billion) in donations from followers who were told that God would give them riches in return’ and that ‘Followers are ferried in double-decker shuttle buses to the church, handed slips inviting them to make debit card payments, and are even told obeying the ministry’s teachings will make them immune from illness’.
David O. Oyedepo is reputed to be the richest pastor in Nigeria. He is the senior pastor of Faith Tabernacle, a 50,000 seat church auditorium, reported to be the largest church auditorium in the world by the Guinness Book of Records.
